3 - Your First Shot - Character Animation

In the previous step, we added a camera and provided a path for our camera to take. In this step, we replace the Character Blueprint that is used with the template with a Skeletal Mesh Actor that we can apply animations to, completing our first shot.

Steps

In the Content Browser, navigate to the Content/Mannequin/Character/Mesh folder and click on SK_Mannequin.

In the left Viewport, Right-click on the character in the level and choose Replace Selected Actors with. This will replace the default Character Blueprint used for gameplay with a Skeletal Mesh Actor.

In the left Viewport, press the End key to drop the Skeletal Mesh down to the ground. Press E and rotate it as shown below.

With the Skeletal Mesh still selected, in Sequencer click the Add button to add it to the Level Sequence.

In the Cinematic Viewport, click the To Front button to jump to the beginning of the Sequence.

For the ThirdPersonCharacter Track, click the + Animation button. Search for the ThirdPersonIdle animation and add it to the track. The Skeletal Mesh in the level will assume an Idle pose.

Left-click and drag the end of the ThirdPersonIdle animation so it loops and fills the entire 150 frames.

On the Camera Cuts track, click the Unlock/Lock Camera button. Locking the Camera on a Camera Cuts track, will only affect Cinematic Viewports.

Click the Preview Play button in the Cinematic Preview window.

End Result

The focal point of our cinematic has been added an we have applied and looped an animation for the character to use.

In the next step, we will work on another shot for our scene before we add both shots to our Master track.